The very best Gluten free bread recipe I've ever tried!

Ok, going gluten free is hard to do.  Coming from our home where I ground wheat daily and made wonderful home made bread each day to totally going without.  I tried making GF bread and it was disaster!  I tried several store bought GF bread and it was even worse.  Then I came across this recipe and it worked like a charm.  Now it's not my old home made bread but it's pretty darn close.  So if you need a gluten free bread give it a try.

Really good gluten free bread
Makes 2 loaves

1 ⅓ cup Brown Rice Flour

1 ⅓ cup Tapioca Flour/starch

1 ⅓ cup corn starch

1 Tablespoon potato flour

1 Tablespoon Xanthan gum

1 Tablespoon gluten free egg replacement

2 teaspoon salt

½ cup powdered milk

Mix all together and set aside.

Mix 2 cups warm water with one package yeast (scant 1 Tablespoon)  Set aside to proof.

In a mixing bowl add: 

3 large eggs at room temperature

¼ cup butter at room temperature

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

⅓ cup honey

Beat liquid ingredients with paddle beater for about 30 seconds.  Butter will be chunky, that's ok.    Add half the dry ingredients and mix 30 seconds until blended then repeat with rest of the dry ingredients.   With Mixer on low, slowly add the warm water mix with yeast.  Then turn mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 4 minutes.  After 4 minutes your bread dough should resemble thick cake batter.

Spoon the dough into greased bread pans (2) .  Dip your fingers in water to smooth the top of the dough.  Set aside in a warm place to rise for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the dough has risen about an inch above the top of the pans. Mine usually takes a bit longer.  Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place pans in the middle of your oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the bread reaches 200 degrees in the center.  I cover my bread with foil to keep it from turning real dark.  Leave in pan 10 minutes before removing. I tried removing earlier and it sink in the middle.   You can brush the loaves with butter if desired.  Place on rack to cool down.  DO NOT CUT THIS BREAD UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY COOLED DOWN!  

When you cut your bread let your knife do the work.  You provide the "sawing" action and just let the knife do the work.  Don't press down!  Your bread will stay in lovely moist slices!

It's not gluten bread but it is the best GF bread I've had so far!  You can store on the counter or in the freezer.  Never store GF bread in the refrigerator.  I keep ½ loaf out and freeze the rest in half loaf bundles.  Hope you enjoy this!

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

My favorite time of the year

I love to see everything coming back to life in the Springtime.  The first day I hear the Spring Peepers is a wonderful sound.  I look forward to hearing these little frogs each year.  I know soon the winter weather will be behind us and the trees will bloom out in a beautiful green fog. Those who put on white blooms will put on their pretty show before their leaves come forth.  I love the purple blooms on the red bud trees followed with their beautiful heart shaped leaves.

And of course it's time to start back in the garden.  Just the cold weather stuff right now but it will quickly turn into a full time job.  So far I have planted onions, peas and lettuces.   The garlic I planted last fall has started up nicely so far.  It is good to be back outside working again.

I count on the garden to fill our jars and greatly increase our food storage.  I keep planting more and more tomatoes but I've yet to get enough for all we need.   I end up buying big can's of tomatoes to make up our tomato & V-8 juices and we still run out much to early.    Maybe this will be the year I can finally grow enough tomatoes to do all I need to do.  I'm also hoping for lots more broccoli and peppers.   And will I be able to keep my lettuces going all summer long?  We practically live on salads in the summer time.

So another growing season is upon us with a new chance to lay in what we need for the next year and beyond.  I don't know that we can ever become fully self sufficient but we can do our best to get as close as possible.  Having things you can produce or make in excess can give you things you can use to barter or sell to get the things you need but can't grow or produce on your own. 

So whatever your plan is for this year may God be with your and bless you toward reaching your goals.

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com